Fruit-can opener.



Patented May I3, I902.

M. MDNEHAN & P. BURNER.

FRUIT CAN OPENER.

(Applicatiox a filed. Dec. 5, 1901.)

(No Model.)

HOYO-Llf rn STATES ATENT @FFICE:

FRUIT-CAN OPENER.

SPECIFKGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,803, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed December 5, 1901. Serial No. 84,846. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that we, MICHAEL MONEHAN, a citizen of the United States, and PETER DOR- NER, a citizen of Switzerland, both residing at Dixon, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Can Openers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention is a clamp for the purpose of grasping the screw-cap of the ordinary glass fruit-jar known as Masons Patent in order to screw it more firmly into place on the jar than can be done by the ordinary person or to release the same when it becomes necessary to open the jar to remove the sealed contents.

We are aware that there has been in use a wire instrument for this purpose, which, howcver,is very inefficient and practically useless.

Our desire is to provide a clamp which shall at once grasp the cap in such a manner as not to allow it to slip and at the same time will not injure the cap in any Way nor permit any risk of breaking the glass of the jar, as might be done by a prying or wrenching instrument poorly applied. \Ve accomplish this purpose fully by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a plan View of a complete instrument. Fig. 2 is a side view, partlyin section, showing one arm of the clamp. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the two sides in position grasping the screw-cap of a glass jar, partially broken away.

A A are two levers hinged or pivoted at B. The levers may be of cast metal and curved at the ends A A nearest the pivot B to correspond with the round shape of the cover 0 of a glass fruit-jar, (shown at D.) The other ends of the levers A A may be shaped to form handles and long enough for convenience and good leverage.

Within the inner curved surfaces of the parts A A, underneath the flanges E E,which are made to rest on the top of the cap when the remover is being put to use, are formed recesses F F. Into such recesses are fitted strips of rubber G G. These strips may be made straight, but when pushed into place to conform to the curve of the recesses F F are held in by their elastic pressure against shoulders ffff, which form the ends of the recesses F F.

The manner of using the opener is obvious. Placing it over the jar, with the handles sufficiently separated to allow the rubber gaskets G G to slip down each side of the cap, with the flanges E E on top of the cap 0, the handles are grasped and held together until there is pressure enough to either screw up or unscrew the cap, as may be desired. The opener might also be made to use without the rubber strips with the inner curved surfaces slightly roughened.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim, and have granted to us by Letters Patent, is-- In a fruit-jar opener, the combination of two arms or levers suitably connected together whereby they may be moved toward and from each other, each arm having a bandle portion and a curved portion to substantially conform to the round cap of a fruit-jar, the said curved portions having upper and lower inwardly-extending flanges and cushions confined between said flanges to grasp the sides of a'jar-cap, the upper flanges projecting inwardly beyond the said cushions to rest on the top of the cap in use and to insure that the pressure of the cushions will be confined to the sides of the cap at points adjacent to the top thereof, and the lower flanges projecting less than the cushions to avoid contact with the cap.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we aflix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of Decemher, A. D. 1901.

MICHAEL MONEHAN.

PETER DORNER.

Witnesses:

DAN MONAHAN, H. C. WARNER. 

